President Muhammadu Buhari has commended security agencies
over the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of
Biafra (IPOB).
Last Tuesday, Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the
federation (AGF), said the IPOB leader was “intercepted” on June 20 “through
the collaborative efforts of Nigerian intelligence and security services”.
The IPOB leader was then arraigned before Binta Nyako, and
the judge ruled that he should be remanded in the custody of the Department of
State Services (DSS), while the case was adjourned till July 26.
The peculiarities of Kanu’s arrest have continued to
generate controversy from different quarters.
Speaking on the development in a statement signed by Garba
Shehu, presidential aide, the presidency said it has been monitoring the
activities of IPOB and believes that the funding sources of the group “include
proceeds of suspected illicit criminal activities”.
In the statement, the presidency did not state where the
IPOB leader was arrested, but noted it was the result of “cross-border
cooperation”.
“The subversive leader of the proscribed Indigenous People
of Biafra (IPOB), a group known for its murderous actions and virulent
messaging, was detained as a result of cross-border cooperation,” the statement
reads.
“This international operation was executed in a closely
coordinated fashion following which he was handed over to our national intelligence
agency, and then returned to Nigeria to face the law.
“The violence inspired by IPOB has led to hundreds of
fatalities, particularly targeted at government assets and law enforcement
agents.
“Additionally, there have been at last count, fifty (55)
separate violent attacks, heavily concentrated in the South-East, which heaped
further hardship on our honest and hardworking citizens, preventing them from
earning their livelihood and going about their normal lives.”
On the raid of the residence of Sunday Adeyemo, a youth
leader better known as Sunday Igboho, by DSS operatives, the presidency
described Igboho as a “militant ethnic secessionist”, who has been conducting
“acts of terror” under the guise of protecting his kinsmen.
The statement noted that the administration respects
fundamental human rights, but will not condone any attempt to build an
“armoury” to undermine the unity of the country.
“In furtherance of continued diligent work, the State
Security Service on Thursday, 1st July, raided the residence of a militant
ethnic secessionist, who has also been conducting acts of terror and disturbing
the peace under the guise of protecting fellow ‘kinsmen’,” the presidency said.
“His seditious utterances and antics, which he is known to
have publicly expressed, have overtime morphed into very hateful and vile laden
speeches.
“It must be highlighted that the government respects
fundamental rights of citizens to express their views and recognises this as a
democratic tenet. However, any attempt to build an armoury coupled with plans
either subtle or expressed to undermine our unity as a nation will not be
condoned.”
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